Homeowner upgrades / DIY help & review thread

socal78

socal78

Well-known member
I've been thinking a lot lately about what, if anything, I have to offer TI or TI has to offer me. I don't live in Irvine but I sort of live in the greater-Irvine area. Plus, I like you all and don't seem to be able to leave the site despite my best efforts to do so (self-imposed hiatuses, self-sabotage, and the like). Anywho. As I was saying... in reading some sections such as Owner's Issues, I realize we do have some things in common still. I'm a homeowner now and many of you are too. I've seen one topic come up again and again that caught my attention and I'm interested in discussing more. Several of you have mentioned wanting to bring your builder-grade home up to model-quality, aesthetically-speaking. Everybody's got different ideas of ways to go about it while others seem to have zero idea how to get started. Some want higher-end, the best money can buy. Some want to do it after COE. Others prefer the flexibility of doing things on their own as time allows. I've tried things every which way you can imagine. I just completed a full kitchen remodel and will be moving on to other areas of the home while trying to add some character. I plan to do this through taking on many tasks myself that are manageable in size and scope in addition to using hired help where I need it. I love having my options and tend to be non-committal so I like to use products that let me switch things up when I feel like it on a whim. Since I plan to do these things anyway, I thought I may take some photos and share here or even offer advice on the pros and cons of certain products or projects. Does anyone have any interest in reading if I do this? If I'm going to do it, I want to post about things that are interesting to others as well, so let me know your thoughts. Also, I'd love to see what you homeowners have up your sleeves as well. I've seen so many mentions of doing things to the homes after escrow closed. Let us know how things turned out! What would you do differently next time? Are you happy with the results?

I'm about to embark on my next small project in the coming days. I gave myself about a week for the dust to settle in the new kitchen before I began ordering material to redo my downstairs bath. I have ordered the most awesomest(!) product ever. I don't know if I'll share just yet or wait until I get started but let's just say I'm very excited about what it has to offer. I like quick and I like easy. I don't like sitting around all day waiting for tradesmen to show up. This product will give you the look of beadboard very quickly but it may not be something you've ever heard of before. Eeeks. I'm so excited. I can't wait to share.
 
I need to redo the master and the kitchen (I think I've been talking about countertops for years now)... so I'll be watching this thread.
 
SoCal said:
I've been thinking a lot lately about what, if anything, I have to offer TI or TI has to offer me. I don't live in Irvine but I sort of live in the greater-Irvine area. Plus, I like you all and don't seem to be able to leave the site despite my best efforts to do so (self-imposed hiatuses, self-sabotage, and the like). Anywho. As I was saying... in reading some sections such as Owner's Issues, I realize we do have some things in common still. I'm a homeowner now and many of you are too. I've seen one topic come up again and again that caught my attention and I'm interested in discussing more. Several of you have mentioned wanting to bring your builder-grade home up to model-quality, aesthetically-speaking. Everybody's got different ideas of ways to go about it while others seem to have zero idea how to get started. Some want higher-end, the best money can buy. Some want to do it after COE. Others prefer the flexibility of doing things on their own as time allows. I've tried things every which way you can imagine. I just completed a full kitchen remodel and will be moving on to other areas of the home while trying to add some character. I plan to do this through taking on many tasks myself that are manageable in size and scope in addition to using hired help where I need it. I love having my options and tend to be non-committal so I like to use products that let me switch things up when I feel like it on a whim. Since I plan to do these things anyway, I thought I may take some photos and share here or even offer advice on the pros and cons of certain products or projects. Does anyone have any interest in reading if I do this? If I'm going to do it, I want to post about things that are interesting to others as well, so let me know your thoughts. Also, I'd love to see what you homeowners have up your sleeves as well. I've seen so many mentions of doing things to the homes after escrow closed. Let us know how things turned out! What would you do differently next time? Are you happy with the results?

I'm about to embark on my next small project in the coming days. I gave myself about a week for the dust to settle in the new kitchen before I began ordering material to redo my downstairs bath. I have ordered the most awesomest(!) product ever. I don't know if I'll share just yet or wait until I get started but let's just say I'm very excited about what it has to offer. I like quick and I like easy. I don't like sitting around all day waiting for tradesmen to show up. This product will give you the look of beadboard very quickly but it may not be something you've ever heard of before. Eeeks. I'm so excited. I can't wait to share.
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Did you get your bath redone?
 
Sounds great Socal but you have to have a thick skin.  People on this board can be very insulting and condescending if your aesthetic does not agree with their aesthetic. 
 
Happiness said:
Sounds great Socal but you have to have a thick skin.  People on this board can be very insulting and condescending if your aesthetic does not agree with their aesthetic. 
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You're so sweet -- thank you for your comment! That post was actually from 3 years ago.  :) I just read it and had no clue what the heck I was even talking about.  :) And yes, you're absolutely right. People can be very insulting and condescending... about almost anything, I've noticed. The internet brings out the very worst in people.
 
Ready2Downsize said:
Did you get your bath redone?
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No, I didn't. The "cool product" I bought online arrived damaged and is still sitting in my garage, as a matter of fact! I spent a long time trying to decide if I should salvage it or not before getting distracted and abandoning the idea. What a waste.  :-\
 
Maybe this thread will become active. It would be nice to see what people have done after escrow and get some tips on what they wished they had done differently.
 
If you have nice wood cabinets but dislike the stain/color it is, I highly recommend painting them.

I've done it and it is so worth it compared to refacing or replacing.

And to all you FCBs who leave the walls white (or "Swiss Mocha"), it won't hurt to put a little color on the walls. Paint makes such a huge difference.

#paintrules
 
I'd like to know what people have done with their California rooms, how their outdoor furniture is holding up and if they move anything if inclement weather is forecast.

This just looks so sad to me:
https://www.redfin.com/CA/Irvine/136-Cardinal-92618/home/51682991

Good sized yard with a nice outdoor fireplace, almost completely bricked in with a tiny little table and two chairs.

Inside looks very clean but very little life to the house...... a very clean house but not a home. Paint could liven it up some, I think.
 
Ready2Downsize said:
Maybe this thread will become active. It would be nice to see what people have done after escrow and get some tips on what they wished they had done differently.
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Unfortunately, people don't share much beyond their garage epoxy.  You can thank the amazing memories of TI members for that :)
 
Well....... I myself am not a fan of California rooms and putting furniture outside exposed to wind, dust, dirt, rain etc. Even my metal chair and table set and granite countertop bbq island get sooooooooooooooo dirty in a hurry. Anytime I want to use them, I have to wash them down and I think........ thank God these things have no fabric on them.

I've looked at the condition of cushions at the models and I can see obvious water stains in the cushions and I just think ewe! I would not want to sit on any of this and then wonder how much mold and mildew will be soon growing.

When I go on vacation, the resort has workers take every cushion around the pool and on the beach and store it overnight. It's not because they think they'll get stolen, it's because of dampness at night affecting the cushions and they regularly replace everything.

Sooooooooooooo........ I would like to know how people who have lived with their California rooms for a few years have dealt with their outdoor furniture.

 
We bought waterproof covers from Amazon and have been using them for over 3 years now.  The cushions still look and feel brand new. I honestly did not think the covers would last more than 2 years, and had been contemplating buying a plastic storage bin just for the cushions, but could not find a bin big enough (plus then it would take up too much space in the gazebo).  So glad we went this route.  If/when the covers start to leak, I'll gladly replace them with the same ones.
 
Ready2Downsize said:
Well....... I myself am not a fan of California rooms and putting furniture outside exposed to wind, dust, dirt, rain etc. Even my metal chair and table set and granite countertop bbq island get sooooooooooooooo dirty in a hurry. Anytime I want to use them, I have to wash them down and I think........ thank God these things have no fabric on them.
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So if you didn't have a california room, where would you put your furniture?  Or you just wouldn't have furniture?

A california room is nice in that you can just leave out furniture, toys, etc.  Yes, they will still have dust and debris on them, but they won't be exposed directly to rain and the sun.  So you still have to clean the stuff on a pretty regular basis (we do weekly on the cushions and probably monthly on the furniture) but I like it better than having to throw a cover over everything after every use.  And I agree that not all cali rooms are created equal.  The ones that are small and shallow are kinda pointless but when done right, it incorporates into the backyard nicely.
 
I don't have a cali room now. I have a large backyard but I don't have any furniture like you see in the models.... things like love seats with cushions. The "furniture is all in a stepped up area far from the house with a  large walk behind built in bbq with tall chairs around the counter and an area with a table and chairs with umbrella in front of a rock waterfall but no cushions. All we have to do is spray off the furniture. Even those we store the chairs in the garage in winter but we have plenty of room to store them in a four car garage.

Do you have a picture of what you've done with your cali room? Is it comparable to model homes? Are you only talking about the area defined as the cali room or did you extend furniture out to both sides of that area like the models have. They do put furniture out completely exposed to elements, not just under a roof near the house.
 
Ready2Downsize said:
I don't have a cali room now. I have a large backyard but I don't have any furniture like you see in the models.... things like love seats with cushions. The "furniture is all in a stepped up area far from the house with a  large walk behind built in bbq with tall chairs around the counter and an area with a table and chairs with umbrella in front of a rock waterfall but no cushions. All we have to do is spray off the furniture. Even those we store the chairs in the garage in winter but we have plenty of room to store them in a four car garage.

Do you have a picture of what you've done with your cali room? Is it comparable to model homes?
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You don't have to do it like the model homes.  It's all a personal choice.  But having had a couch with cushions in both a non-cali room backyard and a couch with cushions in a cali room, I will say cali room > no cali room in terms of usability.  In my previous home, we also stored cushions in the garage with a furniture cover over the wood pieces.  It was such a PITA to set it all up to use it so sometimes we just didn't bother.  Now, we just pat down the cushions, and plop right down. 
 
Just get a cover for your furniture. Bring your cushins inside the house after you are finished.

That's if you want your furniture to last long.

#notahardconcept

Another suggestion, when you get your backyard landscaping done. Consider getting a sitting wall. (It is low maintenance and will last a long time) This can compliment your outdoor furniture.


 
Clearly, with that size backyard, R2D either lives in PP or not in any new Irvine build.

The antithesis of Irvinecommuter.

:)
 
irvinehomeowner said:
Clearly, with that size backyard, R2D either lives in PP or not in any new Irvine build.

The antithesis of Irvinecommuter.

:)
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I thought she is moving to TL.

#nospreadsheet
 
I am planning a DIY job of removing the  builders 6" quartz back splash from the kitchen and adding my own tiles in their place. Thinking of kicking if off this weekend.
 
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